Volleyball races heating up

The regular season is winding down and several league races are heating up.

Tournament play is just around the corner, and I can’t wait. That’s when we’ll really see who deserves to be ranked where.

But there is one noteworthy invitational left — the Bearcat tournament in Monroe this Saturday. Three teams currently ranked in 4A — No. 2 Kentwood, No. 4 Kamiak and No. 7 Monroe — will be there. I’m especially anxious to see how Kentwood stacks up.

Kamiak, by the way, will be dropping in this week’s rankings, thanks to last week’s 3-1 loss to No. 9 Edmonds-Woodway — which means E-W will be moving up.

How far? Check back this afternoon to find out, when the updated rankings are posted.

— Mount Spokane beat 3A No. 4 East Valley of Spokane, 3-2. That was a wild one with game 5 going 18-16.

— 4A No. 3 Mead beat 3A No. 5 Shadle Park, 3-1.

It was a tough week for Bethel, which basically was rated No. 11 (first one on the list to jump in the top-10 if many faltered). The Braves lost 3-0 to Puyallup, which is another team in top-10 consideration, then fell 3-2 to Graham-Kapowsin. Rogers won a five-gamer with Curtis and has a key match with Puyallup to close out SPSL 4A South play on Oct. 27.

One match I’ll have my eye on this week is Bonney Lake against 3A No. 7 Auburn Mountainview on Wednesday. Mountainview seems to be back on track lately and has just one league loss, to top-ranked Sumner. Bonney Lake is unbeaten in the SPSL 3A, but has yet to play Sumner (that one is on Oct. 27, too).